ABC
As a show in its 18th (!) season, it makes sense that Dancing with the Stars decides to revamp and retool as it goes along. In fact, just this season, they replaced host Brooke Burke-Charvet with Erin Andrews – a change welcomed by many fans, who had taken to referring to the former co-host as the "Brooke-bot." Among other changes new to Season eighteen, DWTS has also decided to add a fairly revolutionary twist: with the advent of the "Switch-Up," fans were able to cast their votes via Twitter for new pairings – in other words, they're choosing the dancing partners for Episode 4.
Now, DWTS has always been a show that relies heavily on fan input – it's one of the reasons the show is filmed live, unlike other reality competitions like America's Next Top Model, or Project Runway. When it comes to judging and eliminations, fan vote makes up a whopping 50 percent of the final decision, which allows technically less gifted dancers to progress quite far in the season. It's a great way to keep viewers on their toes, and give them a real input into the season – and now they have even more.
Which should be good, right? Making fans more invested should be a good thing! But there's something else to consider: dance competition though it may be, DWTS is really all about the chemistry. And we don't just mean physical or romantic chemistry, either – using last season as an example, Bill Engvall and Emma Slater's charming father/daughter feelings helped them get almost all the way to the finals (and Jack Osbourne and Cheryl Burke's brotherly/sisterly relationship wasn't too bad either). Already this season, there's a flirtation (scripted or otherwise) between a few of the pairs (most notably between Maks Chemerkovskiy and Meryl Davis), and is that really something we want to tamper with? They say no – in this week's episode, Maks said, "The worst thing that could happen is the switch." He said it with a twinkle in his eye, but there could be more than a grain of truth in that comment.
What do you think? Will the switch-up liven things up, or grind things to a halt? Vote below:
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ABC Television Network
Ah, Dancing With The Stars. How we've missed you.
The sparkles, bad puns (Carrie-Ann Inaba: "I've got a big time crush on you"), and plethora of rivalries/budding romances are back.
The season's off to a fortuitous start, with quite the crop of dancers. High points (predictably) included Charlie White and Sharna Burgess, who got unanimous nines from the judges after their graceful and polished modern dance. White's Olympic partner Meryl Davis also did quite well with new partner Maksim Chmerkovsky on a cha-cha (filled with tight spins certainly worthy of an ice dancer), which raked in 24 points. Paralympian snowboarder (and recent bronze medalist) also stunned judges, tying with Meryl and Maks.
Like Meryl and Charlie, the show also pointed to a rivalry between '90s stars Danica McKellar and Candice Cameron Bure. Both faired very well, respectively scoring 24 and 25, with Bure edging McKellar out by a single point after a stellar contemporary dance. (Side note: after she requested a more modest costume, I thought we'd actually get something tasteful, but alas, it was just as tacky, if more covered-up). If I were Davis, I'd be watching my back with these two – I mean, getting out-scored by Charlie is one thing (Canadian rival Scott Moir actually predicted things would tip in "Chuck's" favor out of the two of them, and he's right so far), but by no-dance-training actresses? Better hit the studio hard this week!
On the other side of the spectrum: Billy Dee Williams, alas. Williams danced a delightful yet lackluster Star Wars-themed cha-cha – sometimes, I wish there could be some sort of grading curve, as Williams is pushing 80, and has undergone two hip replacements. He should have at least gotten extra points for donning his old Lando Calrissian cape! Swimmer Diana Nyad (one of the more head-scratching picks for the cast) pulled in second to last. She might be the one going home – although Williams scored lower, I'm sure he has a huge fan base. I could also see former NFL player Sean Avery (who scored 20 points with partner Karina Smirnoff) getting eliminated: he was surprisingly un-graceful for an athlete, and he doesn't exactly have the most endearing personality.
DWTS takes a little healthy speculation – and what can I say? Looks like DWTS has gotten me hooked once again.
Class Superlatives
Best Dressed: Drew Carey and Cheryl Burke – they're Monopoly-inspired costumes were on point.
Most Hyperactive: Danica McKellar, by a landslide.
Most Awkward: That's a tie between Cody Simpson/Witney Carson (he called her dancing "distracting," as his girlfriend watched from the audience) and James Maslow/Peta Murgatroyd (apparently, they went on a date and he didn't call after). Oh, and runner-up is Meryl Davis/Maksim Chmerkovsky: Meryl/Charlie shippers the world over collectively cringed when she (very) emphatically denied the fact that she and Charlie were dating, as she all but batted her eyes at her new partner. Oh, DWTS – you and your slightly-canned so-called romances!
Best Serial Killer Eyes: Sean Avery. The judges call it "intensity," I call it scary. To-may-to, to-mah-to.
The Dark Horse: Drew Carey. Drew pulled in respectable-yet-middling scores, but I can see him making it far in the competition. Personality gets you far on DWTS (remember Bill Engvall from last season?), and Cheryl's taken a lot of stars to the finals.
And just for fun:

DreamWorks
For the bulk of every Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, moose and squirrel would engage in high concept escapades that satirized geopolitics, contemporary cinema, and the very fabrics of the human condition. With all of that to work with, there's no excuse for why the pair and their Soviet nemeses haven't gotten a decent movie adaptation. But the ingenious Mr. Peabody and his faithful boy Sherman are another story, intercut between Rocky and Bullwinkle segments to teach kids brief history lessons and toss in a nearly lethal dose of puns. Their stories and relationship were much simpler, which means that bringing their shtick to the big screen would entail a lot more invention — always risky when you're dealing with precious material.
For the most part, Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman handles the regeneration of its heroes aptly, allowing for emotionally substance in their unique father-son relationship and all the difficulties inherent therein. The story is no subtle metaphor for the difficulties surrounding gay adoption, with society decreeing that a dog, no matter how hyper-intelligent, cannot be a suitable father. The central plot has Peabody hosting a party for a disapproving child services agent and the parents of a young girl with whom 7-year-old Sherman had a schoolyard spat, all in order to prove himself a suitable dad. Of course, the WABAC comes into play when the tots take it for a spin, forcing Peabody to rush to their rescue.
Getting down to personals, we also see the left brain-heavy Peabody struggle with being father Sherman deserves. The bulk of the emotional marks are hit as we learn just how much Peabody cares for Sherman, and just how hard it has been to accept that his only family is growing up and changing.
DreamWorks
But more successful than the new is the film's handling of the old — the material that Peabody and Sherman purists will adore. They travel back in time via the WABAC Machine to Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the Trojan War, and 18th Century France, explaining the cultural backdrop and historical significance of the settings and characters they happen upon, all with that irreverent (but no longer racist) flare that the old cartoons enjoyed. And oh... the puns.
Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman is a f**king treasure trove of some of the most amazingly bad puns in recent cinema. This effort alone will leave you in awe.
The film does unravel in its final act, bringing the science-fiction of time travel a little too close to the forefront and dropping the ball on a good deal of its emotional groundwork. What seemed to be substantial building blocks do not pay off in the way we might, as scholars of animated family cinema, have anticipated, leaving the movie with an unfinished feeling.
But all in all, it's a bright, compassionate, reasonably educational, and occasionally funny if not altogether worthy tribute to an old favorite. And since we don't have our own WABAC machine to return to a time of regularly scheduled Peabody and Sherman cartoons, this will do okay for now.
If nothing else, it's worth your time for the puns.
3/5
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ABC
It's that time of year again, a time when celebrities from the worlds of sport, music, and '90s TV shows come together to create the sparkliest night on television. We are, of course, talking about Dancing with the Stars, which revealed the lineup for its 18th season on Tuesday morning, and the celebrities who will be joining the illustrious ranks of two former members of NSYNC, a handful of reality stars, and more retired football players than the ESPN commentary team. But it wouldn't be Dancing with the Stars if your '90s nostalgia didn't come with a side helping of tween stars and athletes you've never heard of, and that's why we've ranked the new dancers from least to most relevant, so that you can tell them all apart when it comes time for them to cha cha. First up...
Cody SimpsonRemember when Justin Bieber first burst onto the scene, bright-eyed and innocent, with the kind of flippy hair that looks great on the walls of tween girls' lockers? Well, if that version of Bieber were blonde and Australian, you'd have Cody Simpson. Ask your cousin in middle school, she knows who he is.
James Maslow One fourth of the boy band Big Time Rush and one of the stars of their Nickelodeon show that you probably watched in reruns the last time you were sick. He's a big deal amongst the teenagers of the world, trust us.
Drew CareyOnce the star of several popular comedies, he's now best known for being the host of The Price Is Right, which means the majority of his votes are going to come from people who are either over 60 or unemployed.
Diana NyadShe's the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida, but other than that, does anyone actually know anything about her? Call us when she's on The Real Housewives of Miami.
Sean AveryA former professional hockey player, which apparently makes his presence on DWTS "historic." Also, he's friends with Andy Cohen, which bumps him up a spot or two.
Candace Cameron Bure'90s nostalgia gives DJ Tanner a pretty good spot on this list, but let's be real: she wasn't even the best character on her show. Of course, the second she dances to the Full House theme (you know it's going to happen!) she'll become everyone's favorite contestant. Bonus points if her partner, Mark Ballas, dresses up like Uncle Jesse.
Amy Purdy A snowboarding champ and a double amputee, her spot on DWTS actually is historic. Whether she wins or not, Amy Purdy will end up becoming the biggest star in this cast, and we're genuinely rooting for her.
Meryl Davis and Charlie WhitePartners on the ice and partners on this list, Meryl Davis and Charlie White just won a gold medal for pairs ice dancing at the Winter Olympics, like, a whole three weeks ago. They're also featured on boxes of Corn Flakes, which everyone knows is the second most important breakfast cereal there is.
Danica McKellarThere is an entire generation that refuses to let go of their first crush, Winnie Cooper, which is why she ranks higher than DJ Tanner. Plus, she's a mathematician, which makes her the coolest former child star around.
NeNe LeakesBy far the biggest star of the biggest reality television franchise on the air, NeNe Leakes is, whether we like it or not, a pretty big deal. If you like your dancing with a side of drama, this is the contestant for you. She's already got your mom's vote, so you might as well give in.
But all of the teenage fans, Olympic gold medals and reality television viewers pale in comparison with the man who is, by far, the biggest get of the season:
Billy Dee WilliamsLook, Lando Calrissian is a cinematic icon. He cannot be measured by the same standards of relevance as everyone else on this list; he transcends relevance. He leaves relevance in his dust. Lando Calrissian is the coolest cat on every planet in galaxies both near and far, and soon, he will be smoothest dancer in the universe.
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Actor Josh Hopkins is dating Dancing With The Stars favourite Cheryl Burke, according to a new U.S. report. The Cougar Town star has reportedly been seeing the professional dancer since January (14).
A source tells People.com, "They have been seeing each other since around New Year's. They are having fun. He's a really solid guy.
"(They) met in social circles because they both were on ABC (network) shows. They are enjoying each other's company. They make a nice couple."
Hopkins was previously linked to his co-star Courtney Cox and Burke dated Canadian ice hockey star Joffrey Lupul in 2012, according to Us Weekly magazine.

Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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Jack Osbourne has all the more reason to celebrate making it to the final four on U.S. reality show Dancing With The Stars after suffering vision problems related to his battle multiple sclerosis (MS) battle. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's son was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease last year (12) and signed up for the ballroom dancing challenge in an effort to raise awareness about the illness.
The former TV daredevil, whose symptoms had been minimal of late, has managed to impress judges week after week with his fancy footwork with professional partner Cheryl Burke, but hours before hitting the dancefloor again on Monday (18Nov13), he took to his Facebook.com blog and revealed his MS had flared up again.
He told fans he woke up last week (ends15Nov13) with a "thumping migraine" and "vision problems with my left eye", adding, "At first I thought it was just another migraine, but as the day progressed, I started feeling those familiar zaps of pain down my legs and arms. After several weeks of being relatively symptom free of MS, this week it decided to give me a healthy reminder that it's still there."
Jack discussed his latest health troubles in a pre-taped video for Monday night's Dancing with the Stars episode, revealing his migraine and eye issues had significantly hindered his rehearsals - but his struggles didn't show as he secured his place in the final four with an impressive jazz dance and the Argentine Tango.
His mother has admitted his Facebook and video confessions were news to her - she had no idea Jack was having problems with his MS again.
Speaking on her U.S. daytime show The Talk on Tuesday (19Nov13), she said, "I'd been on a plane so I didn't see Facebook, I saw nothing. I literally got to the studio at five minutes after this how had started, sat down, Jack's... little video presentation came up and then he said that his eye was bothering him again and I never knew, so I just lost it. I completely lost it and well... he got through and I just can't thank everybody enough for supporting him..."
Osbourne will compete for the mirrorball trophy against actors Amber Riley and Corbin Bleu and comedian Bill Engvall.
Actress Leah Remini was voted off the show on Monday night.

Jack Osbourne contemplated quitting U.S. reality show Dancing With The Stars on the eve of Monday's (16Sep13) big premiere because he was convinced he would never compare to his celebrity competitors. Family matriarch Sharon Osbourne reveals her son, who suffers with Multiple Sclerosis, believed he had made a huge mistake by signing on for his dancing debut after sitting in on practice sessions for fellow contestants including Valerie Harper, Elizabeth Berkley, Amber Riley, Christina Milian and Leah Remini.
Jack eventually decided to face up to his fears and hit the dancefloor for the season premiere on Monday - and Sharon admits she was wracked with nerves as she cheered him on from the studio audience because of her son's pre-show confession.
Appearing on her U.S. daytime show The Talk on Tuesday (17Sep13), Sharon said, "I swear to you I felt physically sick before he started to dance because it's something he's never ever done and it wasn't until the day before that he actually got into the studio, out of the rehearsal room into the physical filming studio, and saw everybody else dance, because they watch everyone else dance.
"He texts me and says, 'Mum, I've done the wrong thing here, I can never compete, I've done the wrong thing.' And so I'm like, 'Oh, my goodness', and then he said that day he messed up his routine, so I was like, 'Oh no, it's gonna be just uncomfortable for him.' And then when he came out and he started (dancing) and... he was like, cruising, and I was like, (relieved)... Not just for Jack, but for all the people who have never danced before, it's really brave."
Jack had no need to worry - he and his professional partner Cheryl Burke impressed the judges with their foxtrot, scoring a respectable total of 23 out of 30.

Last week, the first pair left Dancing With the Stars Season 16. But it wasn't an actual elimination. Dorothy Hamill exited the show voluntarily after a back injury prevented her from continuing. "I felt so bad for Dorothy," DWTS expert Louis van Amstel tells Hollywood.com. "As an athlete, when you have an injury, it is even worse because you know what you cannot do. It is so frustrating. You could see [her pain] but at the same time you could still see the musicality and her natural ability of movement. I hope she takes care of her injury and it goes away fast."
The silver lining of Hamill's exit meant that struggling contestant D.L. Hughley was deemed safe, and has another chance to win over the audience tonight. "I'm worried for D.L.," van Amstel says. "When I saw his package, my thought was, 'You’re going home. Your package just ruined it for you. Stop whining!'"
But van Amstel thinks Hughley has it in him to turn it around thanks to his apology to his partner Cheryl Burke last week. "He had a revelation and he kind of redeemed himself after he danced because that was a very self-deprecating moment where he said he was wrong," van Amstel says. "It was good TV because it was very positive in the end. But will America be that forgiving, I don’t know."
RELATED: 'DWTS': Louis van Amstel Weighs In On the Best (and Worst) Pairs from Week 1
Another competitor who had a tough time last week was Wynonna Judd, but van Amstel is confident that won't hurt her going forward. "Instead of calling that a breakdown, I call that a revelation. It was a breakthrough," van Amstel says. "In that moment she let go, and her quickstep was pretty good. I agree with the judges that it was very safe, but it is still early and she will now have to up her game. It was a good moment for her to let it out, let it go, and move on, which she did."
As for Andy Dick, van Amstel thinks he's got nothing to worry about despite his less-than-perfect dancing ability. "Andy is not going home," van Amstel says. "From the package point of view, from costuming, staging, production value, dance content, music, they had the best performance. I’m not talking his dance ability, because Zendaya, Kellie [Pickler], and Jacoby Jones are way better dancers but with the package, the comedy played up to his strengths. I thought it was the best package as a whole of the night, and I did not see that coming."
The top three dancers of the night according to van Amstel are still the same as Week 1: Zendaya, Pickler, and Jones. "Kellie won the night, by far. But having said that, Zendaya had to perform and dance in heels and had to learn proper jive. That is harder," van Amstel says. "So to me, the girls are in the top three. And do not rule out Jacoby Jones. The guy was amazing, and he is not a dancer. He is a football player. In the packages, that’s where Jacoby Jones shines. His personality is contagious."
Tune in to Dancing With the Stars on Mondays at 8 PM ET/PT, and Tuesdays at 9 PM ET/PT on ABC.
Follow Sydney on Twitter: @SydneyBucksbaum
[Photo Credit: Adam Taylor/ABC]
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Season 16 of Dancing With the Stars kicked it off in style last week with a new type of dance, flashy dresses, and surprising talent. After only one night of performances, pro dancer Louis van Amstel has already picked his favorite — and least favorite — pairs. He also weighed in on the new contemporary style that's shaking up the ballroom.
This season, DWTS has introduced two new styles of dance to the competition: jazz and contemporary. Because contemporary dance, performed barefoot, is typically more emotional than technical , its inclusion is causing some controversy in the competition. "The new style, contemporary, is definitely causing tension, and I think that’s the exact reason for the producers to do it," van Amstel tells Hollywood.com. "I do think from a pure dancing point of view, it is comparing apples to oranges between a ballroom and a latin dance, but at least they’re both within ballroom dancing. And now you’re adding contemporary."
The DWTS expert knows that as weeks progress, the audience will get to see the pairs perform both ballroom and contemporary dances, but after only Week 1, it makes judging difficult. "Right now, how am I going to compare the contemporary to a foxtrot?" van Amstel wonders. "But I don’t think it’s bad — it shakes things up. It’s a little early, but I will say the contemporary dances were the best dances of the night this week."
The dance van Amstel is referring to was 16-year-old Disney Channel star Zendaya Coleman and her partner, Val Chmerkovskiy. "Because it was so hard to judge contemporary, I think that Val and his partner did great. But then again, it’s a young girl and it looks like she has dance experience," van Amstel says. "But I think from what we’ve seen, Kellie Pickler [and partner Derek Hough] stole the night. I mean, the girl looked stunning. She literally could have walked out onto a competitive ballroom dance floor. She kicked ass."
RELATED: 'Bachelor' Sean Lowe Joins 'Dancing With the Stars'
As for Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, van Amstel thinks she will only get better from here. "I really hope that she’s going to use this to add to her own training, to become more artistic and expressive within movement rather than just execution of tricks," van Amstel says. "I think her journey is going to be very interesting to see the progress that she’s going to make. Apparently she was really nervous, but I would definitely not count her out. That girl just needs to get over her nerves."
The pair that van Amstel is most worried about is comedian D.L. Hughley and Cheryl Burke. "Cheryl’s partner was just the worst," van Amstel says. "That was a mess. I love Cheryl, and I know she was probably pulling her hair out. He might be a sweetheart as a person but just looking from a dancing point of view, I’m worried for him."
Before the pairs take the stage again tonight and face their first elimination this week, van Amstel gives some advice for the stars. "Don’t forget that people are watching and voting. And they don’t vote just on what’s right and wrong or good and great. It’s really the personality," van Amstel says. "But people that have great personalities, they have to really start working on their dancing quality, because the judges will eventually call them out and tell the people pretty much what to do. It’s always a balancing act between grow as a dancer each week, but don’t forget that it’s still an entertaining show, and not just a dance competition only. And vice versa."
Tune in to Dancing With the Stars on Mondays at 8 PM ET/PT, and Tuesdays at 9 PM ET/PT on ABC.
Follow Sydney on Twitter: @SydneyBucksbaum
[Photo Credit: Adam Taylor/ABC]
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